# If someone who knew you read a lot of your posts, would they recognize you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 12, 2008, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-who-knew-you-read-a-lot-of-your-posts-would-they-recognize-you/448995 "2008-05-12T04:09:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-who-knew-you-read-a-lot-of-your-posts-would-they-recognize-you/448995/1 "2008-05-12T04:09:23Z")
Me, for sure. I have talked enough about my life that I think someone who knew me reasonably well would know it was me behind the Happy Wanderer facade. How 'bout you? (and maybe this belongs in IMHO) ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-who-knew-you-read-a-lot-of-your-posts-would-they-recognize-you/448995/2 "2008-05-12T04:26:25Z")
[QUOTE=Happy Wanderer] Me, for sure. I have talked enough about my life that I think someone who knew me reasonably well would know it was me behind the Happy Wanderer facade. How 'bout you? [/quote] Yes, yes and yes. > [@](#): > > (and maybe this belongs in IMHO) Yes. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-who-knew-you-read-a-lot-of-your-posts-would-they-recognize-you/448995/3 "2008-05-12T04:48:12Z")
Yeah, IMHO’s probably a better place for it than GQ. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-who-knew-you-read-a-lot-of-your-posts-would-they-recognize-you/448995/4 "2008-05-12T05:13:26Z")
I’ve disclosed way too many personal anecdotes and bizarre personality traits. My friends would recognize me in a second. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-who-knew-you-read-a-lot-of-your-posts-would-they-recognize-you/448995/5 "2008-05-12T05:28:30Z")
I don’t even bother trying. Anyone who knows me IRL would recognize me here within probably two posts. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-who-knew-you-read-a-lot-of-your-posts-would-they-recognize-you/448995/6 "2008-05-12T07:27:05Z")
Sure they’d recognise me. I mean how many red-headed Citroen collecting airline pilots who surf on the weekends are there who live in an art deco apartment building in Clontarf? Hah, \*that \* should throw them off the scent! ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-who-knew-you-read-a-lot-of-your-posts-would-they-recognize-you/448995/7 "2008-05-12T07:37:42Z")
Yeah. First of all, I’ve used this name online and in video games, go-kart races, and laser-tag games for ~15 years, so while no one calls Cisco in real life, my close friends and family know I use it. Secondly I’ve posted my name, family members’ names, pictures of myself, etc. I don’t think it’d be the end of the world if someone found me. I’m sure I’ve said plenty of embarassing stuff and stuff I’d like to take back - it’s gonna happen when 8+ years of spontaneous conversation is documented in one place - but, fuck it. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-who-knew-you-read-a-lot-of-your-posts-would-they-recognize-you/448995/8 "2008-05-12T08:23:44Z")
Sure. I don’t think there are many people named Kyla in Bulgaria. ---
**Author:** ![Septima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Septima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Septima)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-who-knew-you-read-a-lot-of-your-posts-would-they-recognize-you/448995/9 "2008-05-12T09:06:36Z")
I’ve dropped enough hints in past posts that anyone who knows me could identify, but I don’t think could based on a few random posts. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-who-knew-you-read-a-lot-of-your-posts-would-they-recognize-you/448995/10 "2008-05-12T10:14:24Z")
There can’t be many 22 yr old soldier/teachers in Pittsburgh with my name, plus all the other anecdotes I’ve told. I’m sure if they read EVERY post I’ve made, my friends and family would know me. If they only read a random one, I doubt it. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-who-knew-you-read-a-lot-of-your-posts-would-they-recognize-you/448995/11 "2008-05-12T10:33:28Z")
Yeah, there aren’t many middle-aged middle-class white guys in middle management living in middle England. I stick out like a sore thumb. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-who-knew-you-read-a-lot-of-your-posts-would-they-recognize-you/448995/12 "2008-05-12T11:16:27Z")
If you knew me it wouldn’t be too hard to guess who I am from my posts. Especially because I have shared some of my health trials with the board - and they are uncommon enough that you’d spot me for sure if you knew me in real life. Not too long ago I asked if anyone knew me here on the boards. Unfortunately some took that as a challenge to figure out who I am and the mods shut it down. I still wouldn’t mind knowing if anyone here knows me. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-who-knew-you-read-a-lot-of-your-posts-would-they-recognize-you/448995/13 "2008-05-12T11:21:52Z")
No question I’d be recognized - someone named Carol who lived in Cairo, now in Indonesia? That’s probably enough, but add in the family details and my profession and it’s definite. It’s too bad in a way, because I have friends/family IRL that I would love to clue in to the joys of the SDMB. But I don’t, because I always look at them and think “hmm, maybe someday you will piss me off and I may want to describe your transgression on the Dope…” ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-who-knew-you-read-a-lot-of-your-posts-would-they-recognize-you/448995/14 "2008-05-12T11:34:48Z")
You bet. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-who-knew-you-read-a-lot-of-your-posts-would-they-recognize-you/448995/15 "2008-05-12T13:44:07Z")
[QUOTE=Septima] I’ve dropped enough hints in past posts that anyone who knows me could identify, but I don’t think could based on a few random posts. [/QUOTE] Yeah – though it depends on the random posts, probably. I know I’ve posted my pic once or twice. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-who-knew-you-read-a-lot-of-your-posts-would-they-recognize-you/448995/16 "2008-05-12T13:46:58Z")
Easily. I don’t tell anybody around here my screen-name, but they could figure it out fairly quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-who-knew-you-read-a-lot-of-your-posts-would-they-recognize-you/448995/17 "2008-05-12T13:50:29Z")
Nope - Well maybe - I posted a long while ago that I tried to keep as anonymous as possible because when I first joined I was a professor at a local college. And having a student find out who I was would not have been in my best interest. Not because I post uniquely personal information, but because I consider this forum unique to me… Well not long after joining I noticed a kid in one of my classed with the SDMN t-shirt on. I suffered through the entire class wondering what his screen name was. I never asked him… ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-who-knew-you-read-a-lot-of-your-posts-would-they-recognize-you/448995/18 "2008-05-12T14:54:26Z")
Probably, given I’ve posted my pics and said where I work (and that my handle here is the same as my handle on a well-known dating website). If I hadn’t posted my pics… probably not. I haven’t revealed enough information about myself to make it that obvious who I am (whilst I’ve mentioned my Department and that I’m London that only narrows it down to about 2000 people). ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-who-knew-you-read-a-lot-of-your-posts-would-they-recognize-you/448995/19 "2008-05-12T15:15:15Z")
Maybe about 50% chance. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2008, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-who-knew-you-read-a-lot-of-your-posts-would-they-recognize-you/448995/20 "2008-05-12T15:17:31Z")
Since roughly 80% of my posts also have a link to a pic of my daughter, yeah, probably (assuming they knew my daughter as well, that is). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-someone-who-knew-you-read-a-lot-of-your-posts-would-they-recognize-you/448995.md?page=2)